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ORBÁN DISCUSSES ECONOMIC COOPERATION WITH SERBIAN PRESIDENT

During his talks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said both countries had successfully stopped the coronavirus epidemic and now are starting “the second battle” of restarting the economy. Trade between Hungary and Serbia reached record volume last year, he said, and freight traffic and commuter traffic are currently flowing across the borders, he said. Orbán pledged support for Serbian investments in Hungary, and said the construction of the Budapest-Belgrade rail line had reached a phase of acceleration. “It is obvious that delivering Chinese goods quickly to Europe is one of the key issues of the future,” he said.
Hungary is a committed supporter of Serbia’s efforts to join the European Union, he said, calling on Brussels to open the accession chapters that Serbia is ready to conclude. “Serbia has regained its esteem and returned to European politics,” Orbán said, adding that Serbia was a country “Europe has to reckon with”. Serbia can contribute to stability in the Balkans, he said. “Today, the EU needs Serbia more than Serbia needs the EU,” he said.
Vučić said Hungary and Serbia’s relations were filled with untapped potential. Bilateral ties are “at an all-time high” in all areas, he said. The president said he and Orbán had discussed bilateral economic, sports, cultural and diplomatic relations and cooperation. He thanked Orbán for Hungary’s investments in Serbia and the Hungarian government’s support for Serbia’s European integration aspirations.